CTNF 18/521,595 CTNF 84415 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Summary This is the initial Office Action based on Application 18/521,595 filed 11/28/2023 by Tatsuya Oga, Hirotaka Mukasa, Daiki Tanaka, Seigo Mochizuki, Yoshiki Aoshima, and Taiki Unno. Claims 1-11 are currently pending and have been fully considered. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-3 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over OKAZAKI (US 2021/0273299 A1) in view of SCHMID-SCHOENBEIN (US 2018/0175346 A1) . OKAZAKI teaches a bus bar module that may be assembled to a battery body (paragraph 0006). The bus bar module 10 is assembled on the upper portion of the battery assembly body 1 (paragraph 0027). The bus bar module 10 connects sets of the electric cells in series by bus bars 50 (paragraph 0029). The bus bar module 10 includes a case 20 and wire harness 60 (paragraph 0031). The case 20 includes a plurality of bus bar housing portions 21 (paragraph 0032). The case may include divided cases coupled to each other (paragraph 0039). As seen in Figure 1 the divided cases are divided in a direction in which the cells are arranged. The divided cases include a coupling portions 41 (paragraph 0042). Further the electric wires 61 of the wire harness are connected to a control circuit substrate (paragraph 0037) and is taken to be the claimed routing material. OKAZAKI does not explicitly teach the connection structure rotatably connecting adjacent divided cases of the plurality of divided cases with each other. SCHMID-SCHOENBEIN teaches a battery module 100 comprising a plurality of battery cells (abstract). The battery module 100 has a movement-flexible, foldable enclosure 20 (abstract). In one embodiment the folding of the battery module in the enclosure 20 are folded in a zigzag fold (paragraph 0104). The module includes the module connectors 222 which electrically connect the terminals of the battery (paragraph 0104). The fold is effected in each case between the pouch cells 10 such that the enclosure of the battery module 100 have a fold after each pouch cell of the battery system (paragraph 0106). Therefore there is a flexible cell connector which is used 22 (paragraph 0112). At the time the invention was filed one having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to form the battery module of OKAZAKI to be a folded structure as taught by SCHMID-SCHOENBEIN as this is a combination of known prior art elements in order to achieve predictable results. The use of the flexible cell connector allows for a folded and expanded state as taught by SCHMID-SCHOENBEIN seen in Figures 3 and 6. With respect to claim 2. OKAZAKI teaches at least a plurality of divided cases, including at least 3 divided cases 21. Each of the divided cases 21 are connected with the coupling portions 41 (see Figure 3) where each adjacent housing portions 21 include a pair of connection structures to attach to the adjacent housing portions (see Figure 3). Then SCHMID-SCHOENBEIN teaches in a folded state may include a zigzag shape (paragraph 0049), which is taken to be analogous to the claimed Z shape. With respect to claim 3. SCHMID-SCHOENBEIN teaches folding and integrating the battery module (paragraph 0104). The battery module is folded in step E (Figure 3). They are folded with the zigzag folds so that the cells are facing each other (paragraph 0104). The module connectors 222 each face the same direction in the folded module (paragraph 0104 and Figure 3). The zigzag shape then causes a restriction of rotation between the adjacent sections, as they are in contact with each other. Therefore the zigzag formation will include rotation restriction portions on each of the divided cases. With respect to claim 9. SCHMID-SCHOENBEIN teaches steps for producing the battery module that includes folding the battery portions with a zigzag fold in each case between the pouches cells in the module (paragraph 0104). The module connectors 222 are folded so that they face mutually opposite directions (paragraph 0104). These are taken to be the claimed positioning and installing step . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 4-8 and 10-11 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The prior art of record does not explicitly teach or suggest a connection structure comprising a pair of shafts on the divided cases, and connecting portions pivotally supported by the pair of shafts, and where the connection portion includes a pitch absorbing portion. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN G JELSMA whose telephone number is (571)270-5127. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Niki Bakhtiari can be reached at (571)272-3433. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /JONATHAN G JELSMA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722 Application/Control Number: 18/521,595 Page 2 Art Unit: 1722 Application/Control Number: 18/521,595 Page 3 Art Unit: 1722 Application/Control Number: 18/521,595 Page 4 Art Unit: 1722 Application/Control Number: 18/521,595 Page 5 Art Unit: 1722
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